It’s never easy losing a loved one. When it happens during the holidays, it can be challenging. Not having someone with you who brought so much joy to your life can be heartbreaking. But the pain of losing both of your parents within days of each other, weeks before Christmas, is an unimaginable pain most people can’t fathom. Sadly, Conan O’Brien lost his parents, Ruth Reardon O’Brien, at age 92 on December 12, just three days after his father, Dr. Thomas O’Brien, passed away on Dec. 9 at age 95. Now, the comedian is sharing a sweet message about his beloved mom and dad.
Videos by InspireMore
Conan O’Brien’s Parents Were A Match Made In Heaven
He told the Boston Globe in a recent interview, “I think what my mother and father saw in each other was that they were kindred spirits,” Conan said. “They were incredibly hard-working and disciplined.”
Conan remembered a trip he took with his dad that inspired his love of travel. “He took me on a trip through South America when I was, I think, in seventh grade,” Conan recalled. “He thought, ‘You’re going to learn more traveling through these various neighborhoods and cities in South America for a week and a half than you will in public school in Brookline.’ I think he put the travel bug in me.”
Conan said his mom took care of everything they needed at home, all while becoming the second female partner in her law firm’s history. She adored her children and spread joy where she could
“If anyone was unhappy around my mom in a 50-mile radius, she thought it was incumbent on her to fix the problem,” he said. “It did not make her life easy, but it was very much a part of her Catholic drive – that ‘I have to be of service to people.’ And good God, she was.”
Conan O’Brien’s parents’ marriage lasted 66 years. It seems they just couldn’t bear to be apart. May we all be so blessed.
This story’s featured image is by Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage.
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.
